Return-envelop.



PATENTED MAY 5, 1908.

0. WEST. RETURN ENVELOP.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21, 1907 (fizz/ asses;- haw/.-

v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TIMOTHY C. WEST, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA. v

RETURN-ENVELOP.

, Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5,, 1 908.

Application filed. March 21. 1907. Serial No. 363,749.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TIMOTHY (P. VVEsT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Return-Envelops, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of envelops known as return envelops which are of such construction that they may be made to inclose a letter and then sealed, addressed and stamped in theusual way, and

which may be used by the addressee to receive a reply letter and then sealed, ad-' dressed and stamped in the ordinary man-,

ner. Letters Patent of the United States No. 690,500, granted to me January 7, 1902, shows an envelop of thisgeneral kind. -In that patent, however, the original address remains on the envelop which received a reply letter, while according to my present invention, the envelop is provided with a part to receive the original address which may be readily detached by the original addressee, thus roviding an envelop for the reply letter, b ank on one side as usual and containing the address for the reply letter on the opposite side.

In carrying out my invention, I form the envelop from a blank having three main body ortions of substantially the same size and s ape. The middle ortion is formed with side wings which are olded inward and are cemented to one of the end 'bodv portions of thefiblank which contains a sealing flap of the usual kind. The other end body portion has a line of perforations between it and the main body portion, and it is folded over on \the two other body portions along the line of perforations, said body portion thus folded over upon the other two is provided with a suitab e adhesive along its longitudinal edge inclosed by a line of erforations. This glued ortion,'howey5er, oes not extend the entire ength of the lon 'tudinal edge of the envelop, but an unglue portion or tongue is left in one corner which may be taken hold of to start the operation of tearing off thewith the side wingsfolded over upon the middle body portion and with glue applied where neededf Fig. 3 shows the original envelop completely folded and ready for'use to receive the original letter. Fig. 4 shows this envelop sealed, addressed, stamped and ready to mail. Fig. 5 shows a transverse section'of the envelop on'the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate how the envelop is opened by the original addressee. Fig. 8 shows the appearance of the envelop after the body portion containing the original address is completely removed. Fig. 9 shows a transverse section through this envelop on the line 99 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the same envelop with the flap turned over and ready to seal'the reply message. Fig. 1] is a transverse section on the line 1l.11 of Fig. 10.

The blank shown in Fig. 1 consists of three main body portions, A, B; C, which are of substantially the same size. The central body portion A, is provided with narrow side wings, D, and the end body portion, B, is provided with a sealing flap, b. The end body portion, 0, has a line of perforations, 0, between it and the centralbody portion, A, and it is also provided with a line of perforations, 0, extending from one side edge to near the opposite side edge and joining a line of perforations, 0 extending to the longitudinal edge. In this way a portion, E, is inclosed by erforations, whilea portion, E, is connecte with the main body portion, 0, without intervening lines of erforations: Glue or other suitable adhesive 1s a plied to the portion, 'E, in the manner indlcated' in Fig. 2, and also to the flap, b, as indicated at Glue is. also applied to the side wings, D, as indicated. In this condition the first pocket to receive the original letter or intion the envelop is ready for the market; The originalletter is placed in the envelop when in the condition shown in'Fig. 3, and this envelop is sealedby bringing the body portion, Q, over upon the b0 y portion, B, moistening the glue at E and causmg it to adhere to the lower edge of the body portion, B, in the manner indicated in envelop is thenaddressed and stem ed and Fig. 4. The a isready. for mailing. When receive by the original addressee it may be opened in the manner indicated in Figsf6, 7 and 8. The addressee takes hold of the tongue, E, which is not glued to the envelop, and tears along sheet, C, containing the original address will that herein shown and described,

be entirely removed, as indicated in Fig. 8, except that the portion E remains but this does not contain any part of the address and does not materially affect the appearance of the envelop which, in this condition, is substantially the same as an ordinary envelop,- it is ready to receive the reply message or inclosure and the flap, 6, may be turned over in the manner indicated in Figs. 10 and 11 and the address applied to the sheet, B, in the usual manner.

My patent above mentioned shows an envelop somewhat similar in some res ects to ut the new envelop has the advantage of providing a part to receive the original address which may be entirely removed before sending the reply letter. The address for the re ly letter may be written on the sheet, B, be ore the original letter is mailed if desired, and if so applied, it will be covered by the portion C when the envelop is first mailed but after the part C is removed, the return address will be exposed and the sender of the reply message subscribed my name.

need only inclose the reply letter and seal the envelop.

I claim as my invention:-

A return envelop composed of a middle body portion having'side wings, an end body portion of the same dimensions as the middle portion havin a sealing flap and folded over upon the mid le body portion and secured to the folded in side wings, and a third portion of the same dimensions as the middle bod portion adapted to receive, the original a dress havin a line of perforations between it and the mid dle body portion being unsecured to other parts of the envelop at its opposite ends above the side wings, and provided with a ortion along its longitudinal edge bounded by perforat ons and containing an adhesive adapting it to be secured to the opposite end body portion and provided also with a tongue at one corner to one side of the adhesive-containing-portion whereby the opening of the envelop can be commenced and thereafter the envelop can be readily torn-along the lines of perforations provided in said second mentioned end body portion.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto TIMOTHY 0. WEST. Witnesses:

0. P. DICKINSON,

P. A. EARLY. 

